Free Shipping Coupon Confusion

[michaewa]

Greetings -

I created a free shipping coupon for orders over $xxx. I went to test it out, and when I added products to the cart over the specified amount and entered the code, I got an error message indicating that my coupon 'does not apply' on basket.aspx

It makes sense to me why it is happening, because I haven't yet selected a shipping method at the final stage of checkout.

However, I think this could be very confusing and turn customers away if they think their code isn't valid. Is there a better way to handle this scenario, such as keeping the code they enter in basket.aspx until the end of checkout, rather than making them re-enter it at the last stage?

Thanks!

[jmestep]

I wish there were some way also-even when you have entered the coupon and selected a shipmethod, if you go to another page, like back to edit the basket, you have to re-enter the shipping coupon when you get back to the checkout page.

[mazhar]

I have logged this enhancement you can track progress here
http://bugs.ablecommerce.com/show_bug.cgi?id=8832

[jmestep]

I noticed in the bug report on this, that Katie wasn't sure what I was trying to say.
Here is what I was saying:
Go to the checkout page and after you have entered billing info, click continue.
Select a shipping method that has a coupon applicable.
Enter a shipping coupon that applies to only certain methods.
Coupon is accepted and basket recalculated.
Leave checkout page and do something else.
When you come back, the shipping coupon is gone, even though you select the shipping method it should apply to and you have to enter it again.

[jmestep]

Here's another coupon quirk that doesn't seem to work correctly.
Create an order coupon for percent off.
Create a shipping coupon for a percent of order.
Enter coupon code on checkout page.
Percent off is calculated OK.
Shipping is calculated at correct % of order- total products, no coupon taken into consideration.
If you finish checkout without going anywhere else, the calculations stay the same.
Go to another page, even the basket page.
Come back to the checkout page.
Coupon amount is the same.
Shipping charge based on percent off is now calculated on the order total less the coupon.

There also seems to be a discrepancy with other options. Here is what the client says:
Current Site Behavior:
Shipping is currently being calculated based on the total item subtotal AFTER any coupons.

Desired Site Behavior:
 Shipping should be calculated based on the item subtotal BEFORE any coupons.
 The Minimum requirement that we enter for a shipping coupon to be valid also needs to look at the total before any order or product coupons. (I’m not sure if that is what the current behavior is for this.)

Note that “sale” prices for variants or parent skus are not coupons. Which means…

 If my cart has a $200 item on sale for $150, then my shipping charge is 7% of $150 or $10.50.
 If my cart has a $200 item and I use a coupon for $50 off then my shipping charge is $14.00.

[bkort@web2market.com]

Looks like this is still an issue in 7.0.7. This creates some real customer service issues for a few of our merchants. Seeing this improved in the next version would be great.

[olivenation]

I am one of those customers:

This glitch
1. Makes my site seem unprofessional and not secure.
2. I am being accused by customers of trying scam them.
3. I get higher rate of abandoned shopping carts because customer think the site is messed up.
4. The increased refunds issued makes my fraud scores go higher with my credit card processor. So my rates go up.

Bottom line - The software makes me look bad to my customers and to my bank. You guys either fix the problem or I will start searching for alternative software from January. Its unbelievable that this problem was reported back in 2010 and it still exists.

[jmestep]

The quirk with the calculations seems to be fixed. The disappearing shipping coupon is still the problem.
If you leave the checkout page and go to the basket page, it shows up there. Then if you go to the checkout page again, it is not there anymore- not in the basket items table either.

[cwswebdesign]

Do you have to use a code? I've setup a page where as long as the basket total is over a specified amount and in the right zones (US only for me), then the free shipping comes up automatically as the default option without having to enter a code. If they customer doesn't qualify, then it shows them the other available shipping options and makes no mention of a free offer.

[jmestep]

No, you don't have to use a coupon if you can set up shipping rules that will do the job. Sometimes merchants want a coupon for limited time use, then shipping reverts back to normal.